Q

A New View

2009-06-30T15:08:00.005-04:00

Halogen TV

At Q, we often find ourselves gravitating toward other people, organizations, agencies and initiatives seeking to accomplish some very similar things. Coming together to find beauty and truth in the ordinary and the extraordinary, our Q community reflects all channels of culture, but with one goal - seeking to nurture and pursue the common good. Q ideas are intended to celebrate this unique pursuit toward creating a better world.

A fresh initiative Q is excited to announce is a newly launching television network called Halogen TV. With a primary demographic specifically targeted toward young students and recent grads, humanitarians and connectors; all socially conscious and aware of their immediate and larger cultural and influential spheres. It's no surprise that we would be eager to share this launch with our Q community.

"Halogen TV is network devoted to empowering entertainment. Halogen TV's content, based on the core elements of justice, purpose, connection and beauty, speaks to the core of who people are then encourages and empowers them to realize their potential and leave their mark on the world around them." (From the Halogen TV website)

Starting with a website intended to connect, share and learn, Halogen will grow and move into television as an expanded media platform. This fall, Halogen TV will initially be available in more than 12 million homes across the U.S.

Watch out for the launch of this new network and see a movement of thoughtful programming emerge into the television market.

United We Serve

2009-06-22T16:25:00.002-04:00

Serving Together | A National Intiative

Today launched an interesting summer initiative to help connect service organizations with various resources and manpower necessary to keep them alive and thriving.

In a video posted to Serve.gov, Michelle Obama introduces us to this resource and reiterates the point we've heard many times already from our new administration, "Economic recovery is as much about what you're doing in your communities as what we're doing here in Washington - and it's going to take all of us, working together."

Serve.gov is intended specifically to be a resource to help you create new projects, network, connect and serve in already existing service projects on a local and national level.

A World without Nuclear Weapons

2009-06-19T16:39:00.006-04:00

A World without Nuclear Weapons Tyler Wigg-Stevenson

Is it even possible? More importantly, is it sensible? Don't the presence of nuclear weapons make the world safer and ensure they won't be used again? And why should Christians really care about this issue to begin with?

Tyler Wigg-Stevenson tackles all of the questions and concludes with a single powerful truth: the only future that Christians should envision is one without nuclear weapons.

"The Two Futures Project (2FP) is a movement of American Christians for the abolition of all nuclear weapons. We believe that we face two futures and one choice: a world without nuclear weapons or a world ruined by them. We support the multilateral, global, irreversible, and verifiable elimination of nuclear weapons, as a biblically-grounded mandate and as a contemporary security imperative. Our change strategy is based around the creation of a nonpartisan, conscience-driven, enduring majority of Americans who are committed to a nuclear weapons-free world. By joining together with one voice of Christian conscience, we seek to encourage and enable our national leaders to make the complete elimination of nuclear weapons the organizing principle of American nuclear weapons policy. We join in this work to the glory of God." -From www.twofuturesproject.org.

Q Austin served as the launching date for this very unique venture, with this powerful presentation from Tyler Wigg-Stevenson. Watch the newly released Q Talk where Tyler presents two very different prospective futures.

In our post-event survey from Austin, we asked the question, "Which presentation made you think or challenge your core assumptions the most?" Tyler's talk ranked number one on our list. Once you watch this Q Talk, odds are, you will agree.

For more information about how to get involved, watch the video on the Two Futures Project website. You may also view the Q Short preview of Tyler's work here.

The Little Things

2009-06-18T11:51:00.004-04:00

THE LITTLE THINGS: A MEDITATION ON THE ART OF ENCOURAGEMENT
David Taylor | Pastor and Artist

Artists recognize, capture, and create beauty in our world of brokenness. They frame poignant scenes, score moving music, and stir our imaginations with their works. Indeed, the use of their talents is essential, especially for those of us who do not feel so artistically inclined.

Our world would be so unbeautiful without artists. But we often fail to recognize this truth, and thus we rarely appreciate and stimulate the work of artists. In this short, David Taylor offers indispensible wisdom for encouraging artists in your community.

Read this Q Short from David Taylor, a creative thinker who really pursues the artists' heart. We were blessed to have David with us at our Q Austin event and are honored to have him contribute these ideas to our Q Short collection.

Story Time

2009-06-05T17:58:00.004-04:00

Zach Williams | Album Release

Friend, musician and Brooklyn church-planter, Zach Williams has a new album called "Story Time," releasing next week.

Q was honored to have Zach join us in Austin this year. His sincere presentation of original music from the beautiful stage of The Paramount Theatre truly enhanced our time together.

If you're in the neighborhood, try to join the release party at the Mercury Lounge NYC on June 9. You may hear some of his new music, learn more details about the show and purchase tickets on the Zach Williams website.

Rescued

2009-06-01T09:40:00.008-04:00

Invisible Children

In our Q community, we have been blessed with the privilege of seeing many significant culture-shaping projects grow and mature in the last few years. And we celebrate these glimpses of renewal in very dark and broken places.

Another recent story of rescue and restoration continues to unfold through the work of Invisible Children.

Back in 2003, three curious guys from Southern California traveled in pursuit of a story. They found themselves in Uganda where they learned that over 30,000 children had been abducted and forced to join the rebel group known as the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

The product of this exploration became a film, Invisible Children; an incredible documentation of the tragedy and despair among villagers and children forced to fight a war that is not theirs.

Opening credits in the film explains the name: "They are Invisible because no records are kept of their numbers or age. Their own armies deny they exist. They simply vanish."

Filmmakers, Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey and Laren Poole, first screened Invisible Children on June 22, 2004 and soon after, the DVDs became viral in nature; students began passing the documentary around and positioned themselves as advocates for the children in Northern Uganda.

In response to this very public interest, the filmmakers co-founded the nonprofit organization, Invisible Children Inc., to help foster awareness and solution to the crisis.

Recently, as we were preparing to come together at Q in Austin, thousands of Invisible Children advocates gathered in 100 cities across the world to symbolically "abduct" themselves to free the abducted. One of the cities they sought rescue was in Chicago.

Seeking a prominent influence and wide exposure, the Chicago group petitioned to Oprah Winfrey for rescue. Winfrey responded by inviting filmmakers and co-founders, Russell, Bailey and Poole for an interview. Shortly after, so compelled by this story, she asked the entire group to enter into the studio.

Winfrey, with a reputation for shedding light on important social topics, made a huge impact in sharing the story of Invisible Children and how we may stand in opposition to the corruption existing in Northern Uganda, even still.

Here is a video featured on the Invisible Children site, sharing the burden for this crisis and how advocates have been standing up and making a difference over the last few years all around the world.

TOMS AT&T Commercial

2009-05-28T14:18:00.005-04:00

TOMS and AT&T Join Forces

We were thrilled when we began seeing AT&T commercials showing up on prime-time television, featuring the TOMS story, told by our friend, Blake Mycoskie.

Here's a unique behind-the-scenes perspective of the filming of this really incredible commercial.

Since their launch in 2006, TOMS Shoes has given 140,000 pairs of shoes to children in Argentina, Ethiopia, and South Africa. Because of fortunate collaboration such as this commercial and thoughtful consumers, TOMS plans to give 300,000 pairs of shoes to children in need in 2009.

Save PASTE

2009-05-14T12:03:00.004-04:00

PASTE Magazine
Signs of Life in Music, Film and Culture

For those of you who joined us at Q Austin, you may still be leafing through your May issue of PASTE Magazine, featured in your gift bag. The monthly publication is packed with thoughtful commentary and reporting about what is good, true and beautiful in popular music, film, books and culture.

PASTE is rich with features we believe in and enjoy. And we've been privileged to continue learning and exploring these ideas with Editor-in-Chief, Josh Jackson and Publisher, Nick Purdy through their involvement with Q and contributions to Q ideas.

As with many publications these days, PASTE is suffering from waning advertising budgets and a general decline in revenue. Check out the campaign to save PASTE. If you are an old friend or a new fan, consider helping to preserve something good, true and beautiful.

Ideas that create a better world

2009-04-30T16:54:00.006-04:00

Tim Willard
Q Participant | Guest Blogger

Our original intent for these blog posts was to have a live accounting. It is, however, a near impossibility to assimilate all the content from one session into a few hundred words on a blog. So our reflections have evolved into post-dated offerings, to carry this discussion forward together.

Ideas are central at Q. The power of ideas is tremendous. Ideas begin organizations, cure diseases and lead to keen inventions. Sometimes it's difficult for us in the church to embrace new ideas. Or we are lazy about it. It is easier to leave the idea-making up to others...more imaginative. Perhaps this is the reason we find ourselves behind the culture so often, mimicking instead of leading.

In one of the final talks of the event, Q founder Gaby Lyons talked about the church's preoccupation with relevance (aspiring to be like culture) instead of leading by countercultural living. He used the quote "the church against the world, for the world" to drive home his point.

The early church was a great example of this type of living. They took definite stands for their faith and yet led the culture as the gospel took hold of their lives. When famines hit or disease broke out the Christians were the first to give aid to the needy. Sure they were persecuted for their beliefs, but the greater culture knew them for the collective blessing they were to one another and the outside world.

Christianity is a "both, and". Followers of Christ are driven to live winsome lives of deep love and grace because we have tasted grace and desire to counter the darkness of the world with a light of "faith expressing itself through love".

Our lives become countercultural when we realize that cultural transformation is an extension of personal transformation. In order to counter the culture we must be pursuing something different than the world. Only then will the world stop and take notice. Let's stop honking each other's noses in our grand Christian culture-mime and start imitating Jesus.

How's that for an idea?

TRUE COLORS

2009-04-29T23:35:00.006-04:00

Tim Willard
Q Participant | Guest Blogger

The day-two morning session started with science, progressed to neuroeconomics and ended up with an enigmatic expose from David Crowder on the future of worship. I heard some call David's talk brilliant and others just stared at me when I mentioned it. Not sure what that means, but I think he was preparing us for a future less bound by rules and more pursuant of the Almighty and his transcendence. Only Crowder could tackle such a topic, have you rolling with laughter one moment and then saying, "Amen," the next.

The feedback from some I've spoken with about the afternoon "conversation" times was intriguing. Some grappled with questions surrounding Ted Haggard's experience, others entertained thoughts on Calvinism and others debated Tim Keel's ideas about "the complete story of the gospel."

Personally, I feel like I've not stopped talking about the gospel or innovations in ecclesiology since I arrived in Austin. And this is the beauty of Q: the stirrings, the questions in us all that drive us to more clearly express Christ to our world.

After an extended afternoon of conversations, contemplation and great Austin BBQ, we gathered to hear more from some great church practitioners across the country. The lively discussion had seeker model practitioners seated beside missional model practitioners and all those in between. The graceful comment of Alan Hirsch seemed to encapsulate the need for all of us in the church, "We need to regain our imaginations as Christians...as the church."

Over The Rhine finished off the evening. The Ohio-based folk rock/Americana band lightened the mood with silky sweet melodies, raucous instrumentation and good ole fashion story telling...through song. As a long time fan, this was the highlight of my day. I could forget about gospel discussions, innovative ecclesiology and allow my mind to relax a bit.

But even as my mind eased and the night wrapped up, I found that the music had done something. It had stretched out a new canvas across my mind and soul, stirring new colors with which to paint. They were new colors - but familiar. The hues we see when we encounter the transcending nature of beauty, wrapped in wonder of grace.

Do you know those colors?

The Perfect Ending

2009-04-28T12:16:00.006-04:00

Tim Willard
Q Participant | Guest Blogger

Last night Shane Hipps, once again, brought us to a place of quiet. After checking our smartphones at the door we embarked on a session without the all-mighty mobile device. There were no texts, no checking emails and no keeping tabs on the NHL/NBA playoffs. We were all eerily unhinged. And it was good.

Shane helped us come to terms with the fact that we are enslaved to the clock: time is money, money is our master, and the cycle continues. Driven by constant progression, we quickly forget the beauty of a moment. We forget how just "be."

The end of Shane's talk took us to the ultimate moment - communion. It was a time to listen, to remove our minds from the technological deluge we encounter daily, to finally hear God without interruption. We were invigorated...which was evidenced by the frenzied texting that followed as everyone left the theater and retrieved their phones.

After Shane's keynote, Two Futures Project hosted the after party at Buffalo Billiards. It was a vibrant time of conversation and pool-well, the pool games weren't so vibrant. But it was a great way to end the day: thoughtful, celebratory moments...just being.

Where are we?

2009-04-28T02:04:00.007-04:00

Tim Willard
Q Participant | Guest Blogger

Through the wind and rain we've all huddled around a stage to hear some great ideas and serious challenge. Many of us have been faced with realities that plague us as we forge life in the suburbs and in this economy. Others of us are toiling with the ideas associated with being in an "attractional" church model. What steps do we take? Still others of us are considering whether a world without nuclear bombs is not only feasible but also advisable.

Perhaps the most profound message today-the most profound feeling of connection to the Almighty and to those around us he who has created-has rained down on us in the interludes as David played those vigorous chords of praise and honor to God. For amidst all the ideas that are swirling in our minds and hearts it is the "Father of light" who delights in his children in every cultural context. And it is he who gives and takes away our subsequent callings wherever it is we are.

So now, on this first day, there are likely many questions to consider. Some will have answers in the next two days. Others will not. But perhaps now, on this important first day, the question that is begging to be asked is this:

Do I put greater emphasis on where I am, or on who I am (wherever I am)?

Maybe the moments of worship are more than an interlude between the big ideas. Maybe they are the strongest clues to the answers.

An Austin Welcome

2009-04-27T05:20:00.007-04:00

Q AUSTIN 2009

We begin a new experience together at the 2009 Q Austin gathering.

Today, right in the heart of Austin, at the Paramount Theatre, over 500 innovative leaders from various channels of culture will begin gathering together to discuss our historic responsibility in the church to renew and engage in culture.

And as we are in such a beautiful place together, we find ourselves linked to the great history of the Paramount. Our presentations, collaborations and conversations will join the many sounds, words and songs that have been introduced to culture on this stage and venue for over 90 years.

If you are here with us, please feel free to offer some thoughts about what you're learning, thinking through and experiencing - by commenting here on our blog. If you are not able to be in Austin with us, we will continue to post some glimpses from the gathering, in the hope that we may share a little bit about why this time together is so important and so unique.

Welcome to Austin. Welcome to Q.

Social Responsibility

2009-04-13T14:40:00.002-04:00

Blake Mycoskie | TOMS, Chief Shoe Giver

Shoes for tomorrow. It's a simple idea: for every pair of shoes bought in America, an additional pair of shoes is given away to children in Argentina. A passion to give kids shoes has turned into an expression of the gospel that has included press in Vogue, People, and GQ magazines, as well as sales displays in Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters. Today, thousands of South American kids play soccer in new shoes - and thousands more will tomorrow. View Blake's Q Talk.

TOMS will be joining us at Q this year. Through a special opportunity, you may help in continuing to share "Shoes for a Better Tomorrow" through a unique partnership only available at Q Austin.

Q Austin Presentation: Post Atomic World

2009-04-01T13:33:00.002-04:00

Tyler Wigg-Stevenson | Founder, Two Futures Project

More than 20,000 nuclear weapons still exist - but the physical, environmental, and economic fallout from even one nuclear explosion would devastate our interconnected world. Security experts now agree that we are approaching a fork in the road of human history, at which we must decide between eventual catastrophe or a new sense of possibility.

Tyler Wigg Stevenson, a preacher, author and activist with a decade of experience in nuclear weapons issues, is mobilizing a generation of Christians to ensure that biblical principles like the protection of innocent life, creation care and concern for the poor direct the nuclear course we choose.

Q Austin Presention: What Every Christian Can Learn From a Scientist

2009-04-01T13:05:00.006-04:00

Catherine Hirshfeld Crouch | Assistant Professor of Physics, Swarthmore College

Catherine Crouch teaches, develops curricular materials and pedagogical strategies for undergraduate physics, and studies the optical properties of nanoscale materials. She has published more than twenty peer-reviewed research articles and she regularly involves Swarthmore undergraduate students in her experimental work. Her award-winning essay on the religious implications of quantum mechanics, "The Strangely Relational World of Quantum Mechanics," appeared in re:generation quarterly in 2000. She is married to Andy Crouch and together they are raising their children Timothy and Amy. In her talk, Crouch will explore the culture and practice of science which seems so distant and even intimidating to non-scientists.

Her work studying the optical properties of nanoscale materials and educating students in the area of physics has given her a unique perspective about the power and significance of this field. The talk is directed at church leaders, but the title (What Every Christian Could Learn from a Scientist) is meant to make the online and public materials more accessible.

Insight to New Q Ideas in Austin

2009-03-16T14:03:00.005-04:00

Hear some unique insight to the planning and forethought involved in bringing together over 25 presentations, special musical guests, social opportunities and compelling ideas to Austin next month, for the third annual Q event.

Gabe Lyons, Mike Foster and David Hodges discuss the upcoming Q gathering, taking place April 27-29 in Austin, TX, in the newest Q podcast released this week.

Shane Hipps on Technology

2009-03-09T15:31:00.027-04:00

Shane Hipps | Author, Flickering Pixels

In a recent interview by Rob Bell, Hipps discusses how technology shapes your faith and offers a critique of the cliche "the methods change but the message doesn't."

Q is proud to have Shane Hipps with us in Austin, as he offers further perspective on the message and media of technology at Q Austin 2009.

If you are interested in more Q content from Hipps, a Q Short preview to Our Nomadic Existence: How Electronic Culture Shapes Community is available here.

Renewing Cities Through Missional Tribes

2009-03-03T16:11:00.013-05:00

Jon Tyson | Pastor, Trinity Grace Church

All of us need significant, authentic relationships in our lives. But developing genuine community is especially challenging in our fast-paced, individualistic culture - particularly in an urban context.

The church doesn't always help either. We have good intentions, but our programmed efforts at facilitating community often fail. In this short, Jon Tyson explores the way people relate in the city and how we should begin looking at social networks differently.

Read the Q Short Preview by Jon Tyson here.

Jon Tyson is the pastor of Trinity Grace Church in New York City, a community of neighborhood churches committed to joining God in the renewal of all things. He also collaborates with the cityparish.org, a movement of urban churches seeking to reclaim, redeem, and renew the world's global cities.

Originally from Adelaide, Australia, he lives in the Upper West Side with his wife and children and can often be found listening to jazz downtown, reveling in the gifts of music and espresso.

Narrative Expressions

2009-02-23T15:59:00.006-05:00

Donald Miller | Author

The larger story can be seen everywhere. Yet, we as individuals have a difficult time understanding where we connect to that story.

In this Q Talk, Donald Miller shares his personal journey as a successful writer struggling to understand his unique role in positively contributing to the larger creation. View any of the free Q Talks online here.

Hungry for more? You can gain immediate access to our Q archive library by joining the annual subscription to our Q digital magazine.

Many Sites, One Community

2009-02-23T11:20:00.004-05:00

Dave Gibbons | Founding pastor of NewSong Church

NewSong is a multi-generational, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-site church with national and international campuses in Los Angeles, Dallas, Irvine, Bangkok, London, and India among others.

Listen to the latest Q podcast as Dave fields questions from his church, along with great perspectives for relating to different cultures.

Iconoclast Thinking at Q Austin

2009-02-11T14:23:00.009-05:00

Gregory Berns | Distinguished Chair of Neuroeconomics at Emory University

Gregory Berns is the Distinguished Chair of Neuroeconomics at Emory University, where he is a professor in the departments of Psychiatry and Economics, and at the Gouzueta Business School. He has been profiled -- and his work has been ecstatically reviewed -- in The New York Times, Forbes and The Wall Street Journal, as well as other leading business and science publications.

For his pioneering work in Neuroeconomics, Gregory Berns is highly sought after by political, corporate and policy leaders to speak on human motivation, decision-making and, increasingly, the science of innovation. In addition to Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently, he is also the author of Satisfaction: The Science of Finding True Fulfillment.

We're very eager to hear this presentation at Q Austin called Iconoclast Thinking and hope Berns will challenge our understanding regarding our neurological ability to think differently.

Over the Rhine

2009-01-27T14:12:00.011-05:00

Over the Rhine performing at Q Austin 2009

In the good company of over 25 diverse and thoughtful presenters at Q Austin, participants will have the opportunity to enjoy the musical guests of Linford Detweiler and Karin Bergquist, who are the songwriting team of Over the Rhine.

With more than fifteen years and seventeen total recordings together, the couple has received critical praise throughout their career, including recently being added to Paste Magazine's list of the 100 Best Living Songwriters.

In Detweiler's own words, "We try to write words that help us learn to tell the truth to ourselves and others. That's a big part of all this. Music is a wonderful platform for discovering what we believe is true."

"Every song has to be good, every record has to be great, every concert has to have some spiritual significance - something that we can't quantify, something bigger than all of us."

With this standard of excellence and hunger for greater significance, Q is eager and excited to present this special concert by Over the Rhine.

The Closing of the Cultural Divide

2009-01-22T15:38:00.025-05:00

Contributors Tim Willard and Jason Locy discuss the shifting relationship between pop-culture and high-culture.

The Winter 2008 issue of Intelligent Life (The Economist's "Lifestyle" magazine) is sporting an interesting cover. Paris Hilton reading Tolstoy.

The article, titled "Smart and Smarter," makes the case that as a society we are actually getting smarter, not dumber, as some might think. However, it makes a sub-point that is equally interesting: the divide between pop-culture and high-culture is shrinking. As it turns out, people are starting to appreciate both.

As the article states, "in most rich countries, the old distinction between high and popular culture is breaking down." So, while one might enjoy Lil' Wayne's "Tha Carter III" the same person might be equally interested in Berlioz's "Symphonie fantastique, Movement 4, March to the Scaffold."

Of course, the divide between the two has been occurring for some time. Once Andy Warhol famously painted a can of soup and declared we would all have 15 minutes of fame, the gap began to close. However, while the gap closes we (cultivators and creators of culture) tend to operate, or focus, on one side or the other. Generally, on the pop-culture side. (You can see evidence of this by sorting your iTunes by "category" or taking inventory of your Netflix queue or looking at your bookshelf.)

Pop-culture is everywhere and easy to consume. It consists of quick edits, point and shoot photography, and blog posts. It takes very little mental energy to consume. It just "is." High culture generally takes longer to consume. It can be difficult to understand. It demands time, thoughtful interaction. But, in these long pauses of reflection we discover nuggets of transcending beauty. Things that pop-culture sometimes glosses over.

Rob Bell says, "Our culture is thirsty for deep significant content." We are thirsty because it is in such short supply - the beautiful and the deep have moved away from the shore. Let's start giving culture more of what it is thirsty for and a little less of what they already have. This is exactly what the mountain bike film series from The Collective decided to do. This band of riders, film makers and photographers wanted to offer the mountain bike culture something different. With a typical industry film bent on eye-candy, fast edits and hard rock they chose to slow down the frames. With sweeping shots of the scenery that is quintessential to the sport and music that matches the landscape as well as the rider, The Collective has produced acclaimed films that reveal the essence--the heart and soul--of the sport. While this might not be considered high-culture, it is counter to mountain bike culture. It creates something worth exploring. Worth spending time with. It is significant. It has substance.

Take a moment today and consider the culture that you are cultivating and creating. Is it what everyone is expecting? Is it more of the same? If so, you might want to step back and consider slowing down the frames; pursuing an angle that will challenge, elevate and reveal the very essence of something beautiful.

Locy is founder and Creative Director of FiveStone, a multidisciplinary design studio. Willard is a full-time writer and is finishing a Master of Arts in Christian Thought from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. They recently collaborated on our newest Q Short, entitled Veneer. Available for preview and purchase here.

Not For Sale

2009-01-20T13:46:00.016-05:00

David Batstone | Founding Editor, Business 2.0 Magazine

Slavery is illegal everywhere, yet there are 27 million slaves in the world today. Everyday people are being abducted, sold, or deceived into situations they cannot escape. Through the Not For Sale Campaign, thousands of inspired modern day abolitionists are joining together in open source activism to save humanity from this horrific way of life. View the talk here.